WEEK 2: 1/12/15 – 1/16/15 PSYCHOLOGY 310: SPORT & INJURY PSYCHOLOGY UNIVERSITY OF MARY INSTRUCTOR: DR. THERESA MAGELKY Introduction to Sport & Injury Psychology

Rationale for Sport & Injury Psychology Sports can provide many positive, challenging, & memorable opportunities However, involvement in sports also places athletes under great physical & psychological pressure and stress Nearly all athletes will suffer from injury at some point, that can impede or prevent future participation in sports

Rationale for Sport & Injury Psychology Many injured athletes do not return to their pre- injury condition or functioning This is often due to psychological factors Psychological factors can impact the onset of injury, and the degree to which an athlete is able to cope with injury and rehabilitate Research indicates correlations between sports injuries and various psychological factors:  Low self-esteem  Anxiety  Depression  Loss of identity  Etc.

Rationale for Sport & Injury Psychology Psychology can play a major role in the sport injury process and in sport injury rehabilitation Psychological interventions can be beneficial in sports injuries to:  Reduce athletes susceptibility to injury  Facilitate the injury recovery process  Provide a sense of control over the rehabilitation process  Increase adherence to the rehabilitation process / increase treatment compliance  Increase communication between athletes and medical professionals working with athletes

The History of Sport Psychology Mental preparation, in addition to physical, has been recognized as important beginning with the Ancient Greeks “Total preparation” in athletic performance involves the mind as well as the body Late 19 th Century – universities in eastern Europe made efforts to establish sport psychology as a scientific discipline 1920 – First sport psychology lab opened in Berlin, Germany at the German Sport University under Dr. Carl Diem 1920s - Sport psych labs in the former USSR

The History of Sport Psychology Norman Triplett – credited with conducting the earliest systematic research in sport psychology  However, the importance of sport psychology did not begin to gain recognition in the U.S. until the 1930s Coleman Griffith – “founding father of contemporary western sport psychology”  Founded the Athletic Research Laboratory at University of Illinois By 1960, sport psychologists regularly worked with Eastern European athletes including Olympic competitors  Assisted with issues including self-regulation, mental practice, and imagery

The History of Sport Psychology 1965 – first meeting of International Society of Sport Psychology (ISSP)  Founded by Dr. Miroslav Vanek and Ferrucio Antonelli, to further the advancement of sport psychology Sport science, including psychology, more fully emerged in the 1970s  Coaches realized psychology could help improve performance  Brazilian soccer team hired psychologist to conduct tests on players to determine “mental toughness” British Association of Sport & Exercise Sciences (BASES) founded – the first institution to regulate the practice of sport psychologists in the UK

The History of Sport Psychology American Psychological Association (APA) formed a separate division devoted to sport psychology, Division 47: Exercise & Sport Psychology British Psychological Society (BPS) formed a division, Sport & Exercise Psychology These are governing bodies regulate the discipline, including the use of the term “sport psychologist”

Practicing Sport Psychology 3 Primary Methods of Practice of Sport Psychologists  Research – research & investigation of the science of sport psychology (not working directly with athletes and teams)  Education – teaching & educating athletes and coaches  Clinical – counseling, conducting clinical interventions, & supporting individual athletes with problems Clinical Sport Psychologists  Focused more on intervention from abnormal to normal  Address psychopathology, including emotional, behavioral, and personality disorders  Varies depending upon theoretical approach  E.g., psychodynamic, humanistic, cognitive-behavioral, systems of family therapy, etc.

Practicing Sport Psychology Educational Sport Psychologists  Focused on enhancing “normal” sports performance  Addresses obstacles that stand in the way of optimal performance (e.g., stress, concentration, confidence) that are not typically pathological Sport psychology interventions are either:  Program-Centered – pre-planned sequence of activities OR  Athlete Centered – an interactive needs-based approach, tailored to the needs of individual athletes

Practicing Sport Psychology Seven-Phase Model of Intervention (Morris & Thomas, 2003): 1. Orientation – Clarify purpose of intervention, identify objectives of intervention 2. Analysis – Conduct an analysis of the particular sport 3. Assessment – Assess individual athlete or team to develop profile of strengths and weaknesses  Based on quantitative & qualitative techniques including psychological tests and inventories, interviews, observations of athletic performance, discussion with coaches, etc 4. Conceptualization – Conduct a profile analysis in which personal characteristics of the athlete are viewed in context of his/her sport

Practicing Sport Psychology Seven-Phase Model of Intervention (cont.): 5. Psychological Skills Training – Learn skills including imagery, goal-setting, cognitive techniques, stress management, attention/concentration skills, thought- stopping, and building confidence 6. Practice – Practice the psychological skills learned in previous step 7. Evaluation – Evaluate evidence of performance enhancement, improved personal adjustment, and adherence to the psychological skills training program

Ethical Issues in Psychology 5 General Principles and Code of Conduct (American Psychological Association):  Principle A: Beneficence & Non-Maleficence – Psychologists strive to benefit clients/patients and do no harm.  Principle B: Fidelity & Responsibility – Psychologists establish relationships of trust with whom they work.  Principle C: Integrity – Psychologists seek to promote accuracy, honesty, and truthfulness in the science, teaching, and practice of psychology.  Principle D: Justice – Psychologists recognize fairness and justice entitle all persons to access and benefit from psychological interventions.  Principle E: Respect for Rights & Dignity – Psychologists respect the dignity and worth of all people, and the rights of individuals to privacy, confidentiality, and self-determination

Ethical Issues Related Specifically to Sport Psychology Confidentiality and Allegiance Competency Dependency, Attachment, and Abuse Use of Psychometric Tests Drugs, Cheating, and Illegality

References Arvinen-Barrow, M., & Walker, N. (2013). The Psychology of Sport Injury and Rehabilitation (1 st ed.). Routledege. Kremer, J., Moran, A., Walker, G., & Craig. C. (2012). Key Concepts in Sport Psychology. Sage Publishing.